Pit bull terrier attack forces Lancashire police dog to retire

A POLICE dog has been forced into retirement following an attack which left him frightened of meeting new people.

Max, a German Shepherd, worked across Lancashire helping his handler PC Jon Kelly trace burglars, find missing people and track down stolen property.

But the animal has now retired following five years of service.

While he was helping to catch two burglars, he was set on by a pit bull terrier, which bit his leg and neck, police said.

PC Kelly said: “I am heartbroken that Max's working life has been cut short by such a violent and horrific attack.

“Max was simply doing his job and without any reservation, if he had not been present, I would have sustained life-changing injuries should the pit bull have attacked me instead.

“As his handler, I was Max’s world. He was 100 per cent a one-man dog.

“He would never leave my side and was always desperate to please. and he was constantly checking to see where I was and if I was okay.

“We formed an extremely close bond, working together every day for five years. Max had worked on jobs including the EDL protest in Blackburn in 2011.

PC Kelly, who is hoping to raise money for the Retired Police Dogs Benevolent Fund, added: “His determination to find criminals who had fled from crime scenes or who were hiding or lying low in open spaces was phenomenal.”

Max is now living with one of PC Kelly’s colleagues, who had been a police dog handler for over 20 years.

Comments (8)

I hope that dog eventually makes a full recovery and enjoys a peaceful life with PC Kellys collegues. I hope that the police make those responsible for this dogs retirement get a custodial sentence that really gives them a hard time and something to think about.
The police must be really upset these days having to deal with this sort of thing , only for the courts handing out sentences that are inappropriate.
Yeah i could get political and blame people/political parties but nothing would change.
Do the right thing tomorrow people and vote for a party that will make a change.

I hope that dog eventually makes a full recovery and enjoys a peaceful life with PC Kellys collegues. I hope that the police make those responsible for this dogs retirement get a custodial sentence that really gives them a hard time and something to think about.
The police must be really upset these days having to deal with this sort of thing , only for the courts handing out sentences that are inappropriate.
Yeah i could get political and blame people/political parties but nothing would change.
Do the right thing tomorrow people and vote for a party that will make a change.shytalk

Because you end up having a group of skin head thugs trying to smash the town up, which need dogs to control them, this is how our society is, we need dogs to control humans, rather than the other way round !

[quote][p][bold]grimupnorth[/bold] wrote:
why mention the EDL protests[/p][/quote]Because you end up having a group of skin head thugs trying to smash the town up, which need dogs to control them, this is how our society is, we need dogs to control humans, rather than the other way round !Openminded?

Because you end up having a group of skin head thugs trying to smash the town up, which need dogs to control them, this is how our society is, we need dogs to control humans, rather than the other way round !

Is your LT username not a bit of an oxymoron?

[quote][p][bold]Openminded?[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]grimupnorth[/bold] wrote:
why mention the EDL protests[/p][/quote]Because you end up having a group of skin head thugs trying to smash the town up, which need dogs to control them, this is how our society is, we need dogs to control humans, rather than the other way round ![/p][/quote]Is your LT username not a bit of an oxymoron?Malthus

That this dog was 'simply doing his job' is the view of those who exploit animals. The Bible tells them so (Genesis 1:26) and they need look no further for what is right. Both dogs were given their rôles by humans. I wish them lives of bucolic indifference, but wishing isn't effective against humans.

That this dog was 'simply doing his job' is the view of those who exploit animals. The Bible tells them so (Genesis 1:26) and they need look no further for what is right. Both dogs were given their rôles by humans. I wish them lives of bucolic indifference, but wishing isn't effective against humans.Graham Hartley

Because you end up having a group of skin head thugs trying to smash the town up, which need dogs to control them, this is how our society is, we need dogs to control humans, rather than the other way round !

[quote][p][bold]Malthus[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Openminded?[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]grimupnorth[/bold] wrote:
why mention the EDL protests[/p][/quote]Because you end up having a group of skin head thugs trying to smash the town up, which need dogs to control them, this is how our society is, we need dogs to control humans, rather than the other way round ![/p][/quote]Is your LT username not a bit of an oxymoron?[/p][/quote]Yes, Malthus - though Openminded? (sic) employs a question mark, perhaps in recognition.Graham Hartley